The present invention relates to cooling probes for molds used in die casting or injection molding.
While molding parts in metal die casting or plastic injection molding, mold sections, which define an internal cavity of the shape of the part to be formed are utilized. In order to control part quality and minimize cycle time, it is necessary to cool the mold sections. In instances when it is desired to make a part with a deep recess, one of the mold sections is integrally formed with an elongate projection sized to form interior surface of the recess. It is frequently difficult to cool the elongate projection portion of the mold section with a typical machined closed loop cooling passage. As a result, extended projections in mold sections have been provided with an internal elongate blind passage extending from an external opening into the region of the mold sought to be cold. A cooling probe is attached to the mold section at the external opening of the said passage in order to inject cooling fluid deep into the blind passage in order to extract heat from projection in the mold section. The cooling probe is accordingly provided with a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet with the fluid inlet typically being associated with a long inlet tube extending into the blind passage.
Prior art cooling probes have been difficult to install, particularly in tight places and it is frequently necessary to disassemble the probe and partially break the inlet and outlet cooling fluid connections in order to remove the cooling probe from the mold section.
Accordingly, the cooling probe of the present invention is designed for installation upon a mold section having a elongate blind passage so that a cooling probe can be installed and removed without disconnecting the inlet and outlet fluid lines. The cooling probe is made up of an axial spool having a fixed end adapted to be sealingly connected to the mold section external opening having a free end spaced axially therefrom with the central region therebetween having an outer peripheral surface. The outer peripheral surface includes an inlet region and an outlet region. A spool central region is further provided with an internal cavity forming a fluid inlet passage and fluid outlet passage. An inlet port and an outlet port respectively extend between the inlet and outlet regions having an inlet and outlet port passageways. An inlet tube is axially aligned with the spool and is affixed to and in fluid communication with the fluid inlet passageway with the inlet tube free end sized for insertion into the elongate tubular passage in the mold section to be cooled. The cooling probe is further provided with an outlet spiral fitting and an inlet swivel fitting, each having a tubular section sealingly, pivotally and coaxially cooperating with the outer peripheral surface of the spool. The outlet and inlet swivel fittings are respectively provided with outlet connector and an inlet connector in fluid communication with the outlet port and the inlet port. The swivel fittings are free to rotate relative to the spool to facilitate easy insertion of the cooling probe into a mold section and further enabling the cooling probe to removed or installed without disconnecting the inlet and outlet cooling lines and the outlet and inlet swivel fitting connectors.
The preferred cooling probe is further provided with a series of elastomeric annular seals mounted upon the swivel outer peripheral surface sealingly cooperating with the outlet and inlet swivel fittings and axially spaced about the outlet port and inlet ports.
The preferred cooling probe is further provided with an annular fastener which axially retains the inlet and outlet swivel fittings on the spool once telescopically installed thereon prohibiting axial removal while enabling free relative rotation of the swivel fittings and the spool.